This letter was written
for Muhammad Hâshim Keshmî ‘qaddas-Allâhu
ta’âlâ asrârahul’azîz’, compiler of the third volume of Maktûbât. It
explains that the ’âlam (creation in the aggregate) has been created at the level of wahm (or vehm):
To say that the ’âlam
is mawhûm (adjectival form of wahm) does not mean to say that it is something
made by wahm (fancy, imagination, illusion). Wahm itself is a part from the
’âlam. How could it ever create itself. To say that the ’âlam is mawhûm means
to say that
Allâhu ta’âlâ created the ’âlam at the level of wahm. Wahm did not exist as the ’âlam was being created. Yet it did exist in the Knowledge of
Allâhu ta’âlâ. Merteba-i-wahm
means
(that) which appears to exist although it does not (actually) exist. Existence
of the circle made up by the nuqta-i-jewwâla (revolving dot) is at the level of wahm. [Supposing we tie a
pebble at one end of a piece of string, hold the string by the other end, and
turn it around our hand; the revolving pebble will form an apparent circle. The
revolving pebble is called a nuqta-i-jewwâla, and the apparent circle is called
the dâira-i-mawhûma (imaginary circle).] (Please see the thirty-first chapter.)
There is not a circle. That is, it is only an appearance. Allâhu ta’âlâ created all His
creatures at this level. Yet their appearances are perpetual. So, it will not
be wrong that they exist; it is true. They have reached beyond the level of
imagination and become nafs-i-emrî. In other words, they have become permanent beings instead of
merely ephemeral appearances. Allâhu turns uglinesses into beauty if He wills
to do so. The level of wahm (fancy, imagination, illusion) is a marvellous
being. It is dissimilar to the being at the level of nafs-i-emr. It has nothing
to do with it. It has no affinity with it in respect of time, place, or
direction. It is neither adjacent to it, nor away from it. The nuqta-i-jewwâla
exists at the level of nafs-i-emr, whereas the circle ensuing from it(s
revolution) is at the level of wahm. The circle has no relation with the dot,
(i.e. the pebble revolving.) It is not in any direction with respect to the
dot. The dot has not been limited with the appearing of the circle. The dot
cannot be said to be to the right or left of the circle or before it or behind
it or above it or below it. Words of this sort that are said with respect to
the circle can be said only about other beings that also exist at the level of
wahm. Such references do not exist between the beings at other levels and the
circle. The dot has not been defined or limited or come to an end as a result
of the formation of the cirle. It is the
When the above-given
example is understood well, the state of Allâhu ta’âlâ with respect to the ’âlam will be understood. Allâhu ta’âlâ has not been limited or
come to an end upon the creation of the ’âlam. Nor has He had a point of
reference. How can such things be said about Allâhu ta’âlâ in the face of the fact that such things
do not exist at that highest level. A few short-sighted and ill-starred people
have envisaged that such connections between Allâhu ta’âlâ and His creatures came into being (as a
result of the creation) and that thereby a direction with respect to Allâhu ta’âlâ was formed, and this
poor discernment of theirs has misled them into denial of the fact that Allâhu ta’âlâ will be seen in the
Hereafter. They have said an event of that sort is out of the question. They
have held their ignorance and mendacious belief superior to the Qur’ân al-kerîm and to
hadîth-i-sherîfs. They have said, “If Allâhu ta’âlâ is seen, then there will be a direction between Him and the
person seeing Him, which in turn means a limitation, and end attributed to
Him.” As is understood from the aforegiven example and the explanation, such
references and connections between Allâhu ta’âlâ and His creatures never exist. That is the case, regardless of
whether they will or will not avow that He will be seen. He will be seen, and
there will not be a direction. Below, we shall explain it more clearly. These
people do not realize that that misconception of theirs is counteractive also
to the creation of creatures. For, it will give rise to the supposition that as
the creatures were being created Allâhu ta’âlâ was in a direction with respect to the creatures, which in turn
would require His being limited and with an end. If they should say that He was
in all directions and not only in one direction, that also means to attribute a
limitation and an end to His existence.
What will safequard a person against such parochial reasonings is to imitate the statements made by the
superior guides of Tasawwuf. Those great people called the ’âlam ‘mawhûm’, thus protecting themselves against the narrow-mindedness of attributing a direction
or end to Allâhu ta’âlâ. There is no harm in saying that the ’âlam is mawhûm. Being mawhûm in this sense is identical with
true existence. Eternal existence and eternal blessings and torment are for such creatures. The idiotic group of ancient Greek philosophers called Sofistâiyya (sophists) also said
that the ’âlam was ‘mawhûm’. But what they meant by ‘mawhûm’ was something
quite different. They said that it was a ‘making of imagination; something
imagined to exist.”
There is great
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difference between
these two states of being mawhûm.
Let us repeat once
again that the mawhûm (imaginary) circle formed by the nuqta-i-jewwâla is not
in any direction from the nuqta (dot). The nuqta is outside of the directions
from the circle. Supposing the entire circle were an eye, then it would see the
dot without a direction of sight. For, there is no directional relation between
them. By the same token, supposing the entire body of a Believer in Paradise
has the sense of sight, then he will see Allâhu ta’âlâ without a direction. It is not something unbelievable at all. In
Paradise Believers will be eyes all over. So they will see Allâhu ta’âlâ without a direction. In this world, because the Awliyâ have beautified themselves with the habitual
attributes of Allâhu ta’âlâ, all their bodies become like eyes. So it feels to them as if they were seeing Him, were it not for
the fact that He cannot be seen in this world. As a matter of fact, they have said, “Allâhu ta’âlâ Himself sees always, hears always, and knows always.” A person who has beautified himself with the
habitual attributes of Allâhu ta’âlâ will be so, too. All his attributes will be eyes and they will be seeing. Inshâ-Allâhu ta’âlâ other Believers will be gifted with this blessing
in Paradise. There is nothing unbelievable in this. Allâhu ta’âlâ, alone, knows the truth of everything [and imparts it to anyone He chooses].